Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. The cartilage, or
shiny coating which covers the ends of the bones inside the joints becomes
thinned and roughened. The end of each affected bone becomes thicker and
grows out sideways, causing the joint to change shape. Fluid may collect
inside the joint, which causes swelling.
The joints most commonly affected are the small joints at the ends of the
fingers, the base of the thumb, hips, knees, neck and lower back.
Sometimes only the finger joints are involved, or one or two big joints
such as the knees or hips.
No one knows what causes it. Osteoarthritis becomes more common with age, but it is not just due to normal wear and tear. Some types of osteoarthritis, such as those affecting the finger joints, tend to run in families. Some people, especially younger people, get osteoarthritis in a joint which has been previously damaged by an injury or operation.
Osteoarthritis affects about 5 million people in the UK, but many of them only have mild symptoms. Women get osteoarthritis slightly more often than men, particularly in their knees and hands.
Most people continue living a normal life with their osteoarthritis and
do not become disabled by it. But in some it can be very painful and
disabling.
The most common symptoms are pain and stiffness in and around the affected
joints. The pain is usually worse after exercising or walking, and at the
end of the day. Your symptoms will usually change from day to day, so even
if your joints are painful today, it does not mean they will stay painful
in the future. You may notice that the affected joints are swollen or out
of shape and tender when you knock or touch them.
Your doctor will examine your joints and may send you for an X-ray. However, the amount of damage seen on the X-ray does not always match the amount of pain and stiffness you are getting. Most doctors will not do an X-ray unless you are likely to need an operation. There is no blood test for osteoarthritis, but a blood test can be used to rule our some other types of arthritis.
There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but there is a lot that can be done
to treat the pain and stiffness. Your doctor may recommend physiotherapy,
where you can have a range of different treatments to help with the pain.
The physiotherapist can also teach you exercises to increase the mobility
of your joints and strengthen your muscles.
Simple pain killers are usually best for the pain of osteoarthritis. Some
people find anti-inflammatory creams and gels helpful when smaller joints,
close to the ski n surface are i nvolved, eg fi nger joi nts.
Anti-inflammatory tablets are often helpful when joints flare up. Removing
fluid from the joint, or a joint injection can sometimes be very effective
in relieving pain and inflammation.
If one of your hips or knees is very badly damaged and is giving you a lot
of pain, a hip or knee replacement operation will very often remove the
pain and help you walk comfortably again. These operations are now common
and have good results, but you may have to wait several months to have
this performed on the NHS.
If you are overweight and you have osteoarthritis in a weight-bearing
joint such as your hip or knee you should try to lose weight. This will
help to reduce the pressure on your joints and avoid further damage.
Exercise is important to keep your joints flexible and to keep the muscles
strong. Exercises that put less strain on joints such as swimming and
cycling, are particularly helpful. Exercising in warm water is also
effective, either in a heated swimming pool or at home in a warm bath. A
physiotherapist will be able to advise you about the right exercises, but
be careful not to overdo it or strain your joints.
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This factsheet supported by Boehringer-Ingleheim